Extra in a Romance Fantasy

10 – Aiira Libreon (2) (Revised)

“…”

“…”

Inside a café within the academy.

While I sorted through group project materials, facing a girl across from me, everything seemed normal at first glance.

“…This is unbearable.”

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But it wasn’t.

And the cause was the girl sitting in front of me, Aiira Libreon.

Outwardly, she seemed unchanged.

Though there was no conversation between us at present, it wasn’t an unusual occurrence; neither of us were particularly talkative, so silence often settled between us.

However, I could sense it. The fact that she is different from usual.

Considerably, she seems melancholic.

There was a reason for it that I could guess.

‘Perhaps it’s because of the duel.’

The duel with Cedric that happened before.

Her defeat must have shaped her into the person she is now.

She seemed to be trying to conceal it in her own way, but I couldn’t help but notice the melancholy that subtly revealed itself.

‘I could just pretend I didn’t see it, but…’

Honestly, even if she is feeling down, I don’t really need to care.

She diligently prepares assignments and cooperates even in that state.

Besides, I never had the intention of building a connection with her in the first place.

However, it was difficult to just let it go like that.

The reason being that her current state was related to me.

The duel between her and Cedric, which originally shouldn’t have happened, came about due to my existence becoming a variable.

I carried a slight sense of guilt about that fact.

Strictly speaking, it wasn’t my fault, but still, seeing her in such a melancholic state in front of me couldn’t help but bother me.

That must have been the reason.

“…Don’t worry too much.”

The reason I started saying unnecessary words.

“…?”

The child, who had been looking down at the table with a gloomy expression, cautiously raised her head.

Her pupils looked even more fragile than usual, and my conscience, which was already small, was further tortured by guilt.

“It’s natural for people to lose sometimes.”

However, starting with such a well-intentioned remark had a fatal flaw.

The fact that I’m not good at speaking in the first place.

“…”

As expected, with no encouragement whatsoever, the child, Aira, instead appeared even more melancholic than before.

Seeing that, I closed my eyes tightly and cursed myself.

If only I could turn back time to before I spoke.

However, there is no rewind function in life.

Was it when the sword was drawn, Murra asked to be chopped?

Now that it has come to this, there’s no choice but to keep pushing forward.

“I lose every day, so what.”

She raises the atmosphere by cutting me down first.

It’s not a lie. I’ve lost more in the sparring that has happened so far.

Even if that was the intention, the fact remains.

“….”

However, my strategy seemed unfortunately ineffective.

Ira’s lips didn’t open. There was no brightening of her expression.

After all, she and I bear different burdens.

I am just an average student from the beginning, so it doesn’t matter how many times I lose. But she, Ira Librion, is not like that.

She has lived with high expectations from the beginning, and her grades are incomparable to mine.

Furthermore, her defeat is also connected to her father’s honor.

Even if it’s just one defeat, it weighs differently than mine.

So from her perspective, my words must sound like the babbling of someone who doesn’t know anything.

“T-Thank you.”

Nevertheless, she expressed gratitude to me.

Even if my words did not reach her heart.

I looked at her with a somewhat awkward gaze.

She needed to steel her heart.

Otherwise, she would crumble.

With the hope that a little luck would come into her life from now on, I could only watch her.

***

Time passed quickly, and finally, the day of the tournament arrived.

Regardless of the feelings of the participants, the tournament was a big event within the academy.

All those involved in combat classes participated, showcasing their sparring to everyone in the academy.

Many gathered to watch the tournament, as it was an event that could not go unnoticed.

For the students of the combat classes, sparring was a familiar event, but with rankings decided and spectators entering, it seemed more sincere than usual.

If done well, one could build a reputation, and getting into the top ranks could bring not only great fame but also valuable prizes. So, not paying attention to it would be strange.

In this way, it was a battle and students that kindled even deeper sincerity.

“I lost.”

My words were different.

Because I originally approached the tournament with the intention of playing casually, I was eliminated in the second match with a nonchalant attitude.

Of course, my words may have sounded nonchalant, but I played my part properly.

Perhaps no one noticed.

With a content heart, I left the arena and ascended to the audience seats.

“Wade! Good job!”

“You worked hard. It’s a shame.”

“It was a good game.”

Mary, Jack, and Alexis greeted me.

“….”

For a moment, my surroundings blurred, but I managed to suppress the dizziness and took my seat.

Honestly, I hadn’t planned to watch the tournament with these members.

Originally, I was only planning to come with Jack.

However, Mary suggested we watch together, and naturally, Alexis tagged along.

Before I could express any objections, things progressed smoothly, leading to this outcome.

Honestly, with Mary, I could somehow let it slide.

But…

“….”

The way Alexis looked at me was unsettling.

What should I say? He seemed to be hiding something in his gaze, but a sense of caution flowed steadily.

Why was he sending such a gaze? Of course, it must be because of Mary.

The current Alexis was probably overflowing with affection for Mary, and my presence, treated amiably by such a Mary, must have bothered him.

In his transparent display of emotions, I began to worry about whether this guy could survive in the harsh royal environment.

“Well, he’ll manage on his own.”

Even though he looked gloomy, he was actually a smart and perceptive guy.

Even without my concern, he would handle things well.

Appearance, background, abilities, and even personality.

Alexis was truly a man perfectly suited for the role of a protagonist.

Among them, what I most highly value is character.

The other elements, well, they’re qualities that other male leads possess as well.

However, excluding Alexis, most of the other male leads… their character is a bit lacking.

They’re not villains, but how should I put it… bluntly speaking, they lack tact.

A close example is Cedric. I just don’t feel any warmth from that guy.

On the other hand, considering that Alexis, despite his noble status as a prince, consistently uses formal language with a commoner like me, it’s safe to say he has good character.

“Do your best.”

Regardless of who I choose, it ultimately depends on Mary’s feelings, but I think Alexis is a fairly decent choice. Well, people are indeed judged by their character.

With such thoughts, I turned my gaze to the arena where the next match was about to begin.

***

“The winner is Simon Bertan!”

“Stop! The winner is Karl Edmel!”

The tournament progressed steadily.

Although today’s tournament was limited to first-year students, it still took a considerable amount of time due to the participation of all combat students.

Taking that into consideration, multiple matches were held in the early stages of the tournament.

Once the number of participants decreased to a certain point, the matches proceeded one by one. Thanks to the structure of the tournament where high-level participants survived, the quality of the matches improved gradually.

The sparring between the top students of the combat department was intriguing to watch, and the interest of the spectators deepened as well.

And so, the last match of the successful tournament arrived.

“Cedric Allenhart vs. Aira Librion!”

The match between Cedric and Aira.

From the beginning, both of them boasted overwhelming skills in the combat department.

It was destined for them to meet in the finals.

“As expected, these two are facing each other.”

“Well, it’s like it was predetermined from the beginning.”

It seemed like other combat students thought the same way.

I thought so too.

It’s not just because I trust their skills, but fundamentally for a different reason.

In the original work, the finals were also their match.

“It hasn’t changed.”

I’m relieved.

Since their duel during the last training session, I had been nervously anticipating the emergence of any unexpected variables. However, now that it had come to this, there seemed to be no need for greater concerns.

Sweeping away the anxiety that had plagued me for a while, I gazed down at the arena.

“…”

“…”

As always, Cedric, with his sharp eyes and cold gaze, displayed no signs of tension. On the other hand, the usual vulnerable expression of Ira was nowhere to be found. Instead, her eyes revealed a sharp determination, a resolute will that pierced through.

Tension hung in the air between them.

“Who do you think will win?” Mary’s innocent voice rang out.

“I heard that Cedric won in the last duel. However, after that defeat, Ira must have honed herself even more. The outcome could change,” followed Alexis’s voice.

It was likely that Ira had sharpened her skills after that loss. She would have trained harder than usual and put all her strength into preparing for today’s tournament.

However.

Unfortunately, not all efforts in the world receive fitting rewards.

“The winner is Cedric Allenhart!”

Reality is a cruel judge.